


nothing lasts forever

by jhoom



Category: Supernatural
Genre: M/M, Minor Charlie Bradbury/Jo Harvelle, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, angsty fluff, implied jo/dean (but not really), makeup artist!cas, movie star!dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-28
Updated: 2016-09-28
Packaged: 2018-08-18 09:52:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8157956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jhoom/pseuds/jhoom
Summary: Castiel Novak is a makeup artist who had a fling with actor Dean Winchester while they worked together on a film.  They haven’t seen each other since, and Cas is wondering if he should attend tonight’s premiere and risk rejection.





	

**Author's Note:**

> this is an entry for [angvlichmish](http://angvlicmish.tumblr.com)'s [September Writing Challenge](https://jhoomwrites.tumblr.com/post/149935013797/angvlicmish-the-other-day-i-hit-2k-followers). the theme was Taylor Swift and [allaserenity](http://allaserenity.tumblr.com) helped me out bc i don't know anything about Taylor Swift...
> 
> the story is based off the song and music video for [Wildest Dreams](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdneKLhsWOQ)
> 
> oh and all the typos in gabe's texts are intentional ;)

He slumps back into his recliner, tea in hand, and stares blindly out the window.  The sun peaked a few hours ago - not that he can tell from his view of the neighboring apartment building - and he’s running out of time to make a decision.  Castiel sighs, once again eyeing the premiere ticket laying on his coffee table and wondering for the ~~fifth~~ ~~twentieth~~ ~~hundredth~~ millionth time if he should attend.

Technically, his presence isn’t required.  He was invited as a courtesy, not even given a second ticket for a plus one, and no one would notice if he weren’t there.  ( _Well, **one** person might,_ but he squashes the treacherous thought before it can fully form.)  Castiel’s only a makeup artist, after all, and not even one of the lead ones.  Those he works with most directly might turn their heads if he didn’t show up, but they’d shrug it off easily enough.  

The real problem, if Castiel allows himself to actually _think_ about this mess, is that he _dreads_ going.  Because what happened on set took place in such a remote world, removed from everything else in their lives.  It happened outside of the limelight, away from the burdens of friends and family and the press and expectations and all these other concerns that never occurred to Castiel before but that he can’t help but obsess over now.

It’s _real life_ now.  Not some movie set on another continent.  It’s LA, a half hour drive away from his studio apartment.  Worse than real life, it’s a very publicized premiere screening of a highly anticipated summer blockbuster.  The world could potentially see the events unfold, and perhaps if Castiel were at all sure _how_ things would go, he wouldn’t care.

But he hasn’t seen or heard from Dean in months.  Whatever they had ended as abruptly as it had started.  No more stolen kisses before Dean left his trailer.  No more post-its waiting for him at his makeup station.  No more thighs or arms brushing as he leaned over Dean to touch up his foundation or fix his hair.  No more tired limbs crawling into bed and wrapping around him at ungodly hours of the night.  

All if it gone the day they wrapped up filming and went their separate ways.  

(It probably wouldn’t still hurt so badly if he didn’t distinctly remember all the little things like the way Dean smelled when they were tangled together all night.  How his eyes lit up when he smiled at one of Cas’ lame attempts at a joke, or the roughness in his voice when he first woke up.  Or how beautiful his lips looked when they were kiss swollen and red.  Maybe if he could _forget_ , it’d be easier.)

( ~~The problem being that he doesn’t _want_ to forget.~~ )

( ~~But nothing lasts forever, right?~~ )

He tips the teacup only to find nothing but dregs left.  With a groan, he takes it as a sign and gets out of his chair.  No more stalling, time to make a decision.  As he walks to the kitchen sink to rinse out the glass, he hears his phone vibrate with an incoming message.

Well, maybe a bit more stalling.

_Gabe: ur going rite?_

He rolls his eyes and leans against the counter, typing out a response and praying his brother will stick to text messages.  He doesn’t feel up to talking on the phone or, worse yet, enduring a visit from Gabriel right now.  His brother means well, but he’s already anxious enough without the added strain of dealing with his pestering in person.

_\-- Not sure._

Almost instantly he receives a reply.

_Gabe: u.  r.  going.  give me 1 good reason y not_

_\-- What if it was just a fling?  I’ll embarrass myself and him and make his premiere awkward._

_Gabe: its ur premiere too dumbass u worked on the movie 2 and u desreve 2 kno if he’s in2 you_

_\-- Good lord your texting has gotten worse._

_Gabe: dn’t change topics just go and see him ur 1/2way decent lookin maybe hed still wanna tap that_

_\-- And if that’s all he wants, Gabriel, I’d decline._

_Gabe: hes tall and handsom as hell bro you should make an exceptin just sayin_

He’s in the middle of typing a very angry response when Gabriel immediately sends another.

_Gabe: jk obsly u kno u deserve smeone gr8 so if he’s not into u better at least 2 kno for sure_

And of course his brother is right.  He could sit at home and continually wonder about what if scenarios, or he could get off his ass, put on his tux, and _find out_.  Mind made up, he texts his brother one last time and then goes to get ready.

_\-- Okay I’m going._

It’s not until he’s about to head out the door that he sees the messages he’s missed in the last hour.  

 _Gabe: go get em tiger_  
_Gabe: i claim best man at ur wedding  
_ _Gabe: i dont care if jimmys your twin i call dibs_

Castiel quietly pockets his phone and tries not let his brother’s optimism take over.

( ~~Okay so maybe for a moment he allows himself to dream and play it all out in his head.  He’ll pull up to the premiere and Dean will be there, looking as gorgeous as ever.  Their eyes will catch and they’ll be drawn together instantly.  Dean’s lips will twitch up in the corners in a small smile and he’ll wordlessly offer Cas his hand.  The cameras will be flashing, reporters shouting questions but Dean will ignore them all in favor of drowning in Cas’ eyes-~~ )

( ~~He really shouldn’t be indulging in that sort of fantasy.~~ )

The first part of his daydream turns out to be pretty spot on.  Dean’s about a hundred feet away, fielding questions from reporters.  And yeah, maybe Castiel forgot a _little bit_ because even from this distance, he can tell Dean looks _spectacular_ in his tux.  Their eyes meet, ever so briefly, but before either can react, Dean’s attention is stolen by a blond girl draping her arm around his neck and pulling him in for a hug.

Seeming to have forgotten all about Cas, Dean lets his arm slip around the woman’s waist.  The two talk and smile comfortably for the cameras.  They’re still posing as Castiel scurries behind them and into the theater, the girl mussing Dean’s pristine hair before kissing his cheek.

In a daze, he just goes where his feet take him.  Which happens to be a TV crew’s feed of the interviews currently going on just outside.  It takes him a moment to actually register the words he’s hearing, but once he does he’s frozen to the spot.

“So Mr. Winchester - I hear there might be a special someone in your life,” the interviewer gushes.   “Have you been holding out on us?”

“Maybe a little.”  Cas’ head whips around to sneak a peek at the little monitor.  It’s hard to see over the crewmen huddled around it taking notes, but he can both see and hear the coy smirk in that answer.

“You can’t hold out on us after dropping a bomb like that!”  The interviewer is a petite blonde woman, vaguely familiar but since he doesn’t frequent the type of show that broadcasts this sort of thing her name escapes him.

Dean laughs and it’s like a knife through his heart.“I’ve been kinda seeing someone for a while now and I don’t really wanna get into it, we’re private people.”

_(“Dean, I… I should leave.  I know you’re a private person, you wouldn’t want rumors to start-”_

_“C’mon Cas, stay the night.  No one has to know what we do,” he whispers between kisses as his hands are in Cas’ hair to pull him even closer.  “Please.”)_

“Says the man starring in a multi-million dollar movie.”  Even on the tiny screen, Dean’s eyes flash momentarily in warning and the interviewer backtracks.  “Don’t worry, I’m only joking!  Now,” she segues into a more neutral topic as she shifts focus to the other blonde, “Tell us who you’re wearing, Miss…?”

“Harvelle.  Jo Harvelle.  And this lovely red number was designed by Balthazar.”  Dean grabs her hand and raises it in the air, allowing her to walk around Dean and spin a bit to show off the admittedly gorgeous gown.  Of course Castiel’s mouth goes dry the second he sees the flash of light coming from the blonde’s left hand.  

An engagement ring, large and gaudy but stunning nonetheless.

(Though not very _Dean_ , he finds himself thinking before he wipes away stray thought.  Because what does he know about _Dean_ , anyhow?)

He feels sick, quite honestly.  He backs away from the news team and staggers further into the theater.  Dean said he’s in an ongoing relationship.  Has been for a while.  Was he… he couldn’t have been… _engaged_ to this woman while the two of them were together?  

No.  No no no no-

But is that any better than the alternative?  That what he and Castiel had was so fleeting and inconsequential he’d move on so quickly?  Be _engaged_ to another person less than a year later?

Castiel collapses into the first available seat he finds, somewhere near the back by the doors.  Good, he might need to make a speedy escape.  Once the movie’s started and he’s regained his bearings, he’ll leave.  

The attendants start ushering people to their seats.  He pretends to play with his phone, deflecting any attempts at small talk from his co-workers because he just _can’t_.  It’s beyond him at the moment to even relay the information to Gabriel and get what scant comfort he might from his brother.  Only another thirty minutes, tops, then he’ll duck out of here and put the final period to this chapter of his life.

And because shittier luck always seems to follow bad luck, Dean happens to come into the theater near where he’s sitting.  He’s with a crowd, but that’s no surprise.  Dean always did know how to draw people in.  A server walks past with a tray of champagne and offers them each a glass.  Just as he’s walking away, Dean leans over and grabs a second glass for himself, a triumphant grin on his face.

“You’re so _bad_ , Winchester!” his costar Bela scolds.  

“But he does it so well,” Jo teases.  

Dean looks slightly embarrassed, but shrugs and promptly drinks both glasses.  (He’s nervous.  He’s always nervous before he sees his own work, can’t take it when he’s the center of attention, always judges himself so harshly-   _Stop_.)  Jo slips her arm into his and leads him to their seats.

After the hell of enduring the opening act, Castiel squeezes past the few people in his row and disappears out the rear exit.  It opens into an alley, blocked off from the view of curious bystanders, and he takes advantage of it to bid a hasty retreat.  Maybe if he hurries he can start wiping these last few months from his memory.

“Cas!”  

His instinct is to stop when he hears Dean’s voice, but he keeps walking.  If anything, he hurries up.

“Cas, wait!”

His mistake is only walking while Dean apparently has no qualms about running in his dress shoes and tux.  He soon overtakes Cas and swings him around.  

“Cas, buddy, don’t make me run in these clown shoes.”  Dean pants a bit, only slightly out of breath.  His hand burns where it rests on Cas’ shoulder.

“ _Buddy_ ,” he hisses back.  Dean looks at him funny at that, a frown growing.  Cas jerks his shoulder out of Dean’s grasp and crosses his arm in front of his chest as a protective barrier.  Too late to actually do any good shielding his heart from this man, but oh well.  

“You okay…?”  For the first time that evening, Dean seems genuinely at a loss.  He no doubt navigated countless questions and smalltalk all day, but one word from Castiel has him looking genuinely befuddled.

Cas tears his eyes away from Dean’s to stare at the dirty wall of the theater.  There’s graffiti hidden there, faded and nothing but nonsense.  His eyes trace the lines as he tries to force neutrality into his voice.  “You’ve been seeing someone for a while now,” he parrots back to Dean his own quote.

“Shit, you heard that?”  Cas can’t help but turn to glare at Dean, who holds up his hands in surrender.  “Okay, you heard it.  I can explain-”

“And you’re _engaged_ now?”

“What?”

“I saw the ring on your girlfriend’s finger.  I wish you had _told_ me you weren’t serious about us from the start so I-”

“Cas, I know it’s kind of a dick move to interrupt you, but I really gotta stop you there.”  There’s a hint of desperation in his voice that gives Cas pause.  “This is seriously a big misunderstanding.  Like, I totally get why things might look like that from where you’re standing, but could I please just explain?”

Cas shuts his mouth and nods for Dean to continue.  

“I uh, well I’ll start with Jo.  She’s my cousin.  Sort of.  That part’s kind of complicated but doesn’t really matter.  The point is, she’s my guest here tonight because she bugged the hell outta me to let her tag along.  And _she_ is engaged, but not to me.  She’s hella gay, by the way, and wouldn’t be into me even if I didn’t think of her as family.”  

Dean snaps his fingers and scrambles to grab his phone from his breast pocket.  He swipes through it quickly and shows Cas a picture of the blonde woman with her arms around a redhead.  That alone isn’t enough to mean anything, but then Dean swipes to the next picture.  It’s the same women, this time kissing.  “That was the night they got engaged,” Dean explains before pocketing his phone.

“So, you aren’t engaged?”

“Nope.”

Slightly mollified, he relaxes out of his defensive posture.  “But you _are_ dating someone.”

“Well uh, I kind of thought I was,” Dean hedges.  He looks so adorkably cute as he kicks the ground nervously that Cas starts to understand what he’s about to say.  “I mean, I maybe should’ve asked him first or like, made it clear he means the world to me, but there is this one guy-”

“Dean Winchester, if you don’t mean me I will punch you, I swear to god.”

In answer, Dean leans forward to kiss him.  Just the faintest press of lips, an eyes open kiss so he can watch Castiel react.  He must like what he sees, because he does it again.  Then a third time before he gives up on chaste and pulls Cas in close.  Cas is more than willing to follow.

“Why _did_ you think I was upset at you?” Castiel asks when they stop to breath.  Foreheads resting against each other, he can see the countless freckles his makeup never could cover up.  (Though truth be told, Cas never tried that hard.)

“Uh, because I was revealing to the whole world I was dating you?  I was going to track you down after the movie and talk about it then, but then you up and _left_.  Not gonna lie, it crossed my mind that you wanted a quickie-”

“ _Dean_!”

“A guy can dream, can’t he?  So uh, are we dating?  Because I’ve missed you like crazy since we finished filming and I don’t want to go another day without waking up next to you.  I mean it, you’re it for me.”

He takes his time answering, instead tracing patterns along Dean’s cheek and nose and jaw.  It seems only fair, given the anxiety he’s felt these past few hours, whether intentional on Dean’s part or not.  When he can’t hold the words back anymore, he lets his happiness show in a grin that’s likely to never fade.  “Yes, Dean.  Of course.”

“Oh thank _god_!”  Then they’re kissing again, giggles springing forth as they revel in their happiness.

They never do make it back in time for the end of the movie, but all anyone can talk about when they reappear at the after party is their hands joined together and the stupid lovesick looks on their faces.

**Author's Note:**

>  **completely not-relevant bonus scene:**  
>  (basically this is where i initially went with the taylor swift prompt but couldn't think up a full story soooo)
> 
> sheriff: i wasn't expecting the feds on this one, but shows what i know about wasting tax payer dollars.  
> dean: don't know what to tell you, i just go where i'm told. i'm agent harry ford and this is my partner-  
> castiel: taylor swift.  
> dean & sheriff: ....  
> cas: *as though explaining to children* taylor is also a man's name. there are many famous male taylors. for example, taylor lautner starred in the twilight saga and taylor hicks is a talented musician.  
> dean: .... what he said  
> sheriff: oooookay.  
> sheriff: *explains case* and yeah, those are pretty much the details of the case. sorry i couldn't help you out more.  
> dean: thanks.  
> cas: yes, thank you sheriff *walks away*  
> sheriff: ........ is his name really taylor swift  
> dean: i wish i could say it wasn’t


End file.
